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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Europe midday: Shares slide into red; Direct Line tanks as Ageas pulls out

(Sharecast News) - European stocks slipped into the red on Monday ahead of the Easter long weekend as investors took stock of a slew of rate decisions last week and dovish comments from policy makers that sent the Stoxx 600 index to record highs. The pan-regional benchmark index was down 0.35% to 507.87 with all major Continental bourses following suit as investors looked for direction. although Goldman Sachs lifted its 2024 year-end Stoxx target to 540 from 510, citing potential economic growth and monetary policy easing across central banks.

In equity news, shares in Direct Line tanked 12% after Belgian insurer Ageas said it would not make a further offer for the British home and motor insurer after it rejected two previous proposals.

Swedish real estate group SBB surged 15% as the company announced a debt buyback at a 60% discount as it tried to reassure investors over management of its debt burden.

Ocado fell after a report over the weekend suggesting the company is under pressure over executive pay after an influential proxy adviser urged shareholders to vote against a new bonus scheme that could see boss Tim Steiner paid as much as £14.8m.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com

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Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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